Friday, May 18, 2012

WIlliam Meade Prince: A Word or Two About the Technique

A word or two about my interest in those toned paper drawings: this was a technique that was popularly taught by several of the old-school instructors at Art Center College of Design when I attended in the early 70s.

We would use charcoal pencil and white Prismacolor pencil on toned paper to work from models. It was a good technique to teach the study of tonal values and to develop judgment of spotting lights and darks against a middle tone.

Some of those instructors could create mind-boggling examples on the spot to demonstrate as they lectured. I suppose it was considered an outdated technique mostly good for student studies, and may have been regarded as such for many decades earlier.

It might also have been considered problematic for early reproduction processes-- I'm not sure.

Prince certainly used it to maximum effect in the 1930s and '40s.

William Meade Prince published a memoir of his youth, entitled The Southern Part of Heaven, in 1950, and was married to stage actress Lillian Hughes Prince.

The University of North Carolina apparently possesses an extensive archive of papers and correspondence from both of them.

* Tony Gleeson is a freelance illustrator. Since 1974 he has created finished art for the book, editorial and advertising industries as well as character design and concept art for gaming, film, television and theme parks. He lives in Southern California.